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Healy, who is from Arvada, has been serving in a platoon in Afghanistan that has had more casualties than any other in the last three months.

On the night he met Addy, there was a big table set up in front of a fireplace - very different from what he left in Afghanistan.

"A nice warm meal is unforgettable," he said.

But it was nothing compared to meeting Addy.

She was wearing a pink dress that highlights her bright smile. When she walked in and met Healy she could only giggle. Then she gave him a big hug.

There is not much in Afghanistan that is bright or cheerful there, so the gifts Addy sends, including her hand-drawn pictures, are treasures.

"You are the most important thing on my wall," he told the little girl after they met at the Mimi's Café in Golden, "because it means that much to me."

He only has eight dinners left in the U.S. before his leave is over, and Healy says it was important to spent one of them with Addy.

"I don't know if you know how much it means to me to meet you," Healy told Addy.

"I was so excited to see you everyday that I woke up. I thought, 'I can't wait to see you,'" Addy said.

The friendship between the soldier and the little girl inspires him on his hardest days and gives her a perspective on sacrifice that few other kindergarteners have.

"It's cold a lot," Addy said. "I know that they sleep in little holes and I was sad that they did that and I wanted to do something nice for them."

After the two exchanged one more hug, Healy had one last message to the little girl who picked him to send her packages to.

"Keep going, because there are a lot of soldiers who need you," Healy said to Addy.

"I know," she replied.

She has adopted one service member from each of the four branches of the military and she goes door to door in her neighborhood to raise money for her care packages. Mimi's Café donated 15 percent of its proceeds on Thursday night to Addy's cause.